The dramatic story begins with a man named Robert (Philip Winchester) marrying a gorgeous woman named Alice (Cloudia Swann). At first, their marriage is heavenly. When Alice becomes pregnant, the dung hits the fan. Suddenly, Robert's past of being abused as a child begins to haunt him and threaten his marriage. Will Robert be able to pull himself together and salvage his relationship with his wife?

Had Philip Winchester not been cast, I am not entirely positive the film would work. Winchester dives into the role without reservation and brings the script to life. His descent into a tortured soul is so real that it grabs the viewer and drags them down the dark path along with his character. Your stomach may be in knots as his past is slowly revealed, but you root for him to overcome all he has endured. Cloudia Swann is equally impressive as Robert's wife. Her discovery that her husband isn't the man she married is both tragic and heartbreaking. You really sympathize with her plight and hope she and Robert can work everything out.

The main issue I had with the movie was that the script felt like an abridged version of the story. In the opening 30 minutes, the passage of time was filled with quick cuts that rival Michael Bay. For example, in one scene, we see the marriage take place. The next cut shows the couple years later living in their own fancy home. A better story flow was needed to let scenes settle and sink into the viewer's mind.

Please note this film is not for everyone. The adult subject matter of child abuse may be uncomfortable and disturbing to some viewers.

The DVD

Video:
Yuck! The 16:9 full frame picture is hideous. There are scenes of color distortion, but worst of all, there is an abundance of lines through the picture. Not all of the lines stand out in the print. Most of the lines are noticeable in the background causing the video to appear wavy. I'm surprised I didn't get sea sick.

Sound: For an audio track without Dolby Digital, the 2.0 stereo isn't half bad. I had to crank the volume up a tad because the sound was a bit soft, but the dialogue was never hard to hear.

Extras: Nothing mind blowing here. There are 3 versions of the theatrical trailer, a water color painted storyboard montage, and an on set photo montage.

Final Thoughts:
"Shaking Dream Land" is a surprisingly rich character study. For those viewers looking to see a dark and unflinching drama instead of the usual happy Hollywood fare, give this a rent.

Film and television enthusiast Nick Lyons recently had his first book published titled "Attack of the Sci-Fi Trivia." It is available on Amazon.com.